What We Must

Jaga Jazzist – your favorite ten piece Norwegian jazz/electronica ensemble – is back, but this time with a whole different sound. Jaga (they dropped the "Jazzist") has taken their horn-heavy, sleak jazzy grooves, and infused it with a mega-heaping of post-rock, noisy guitar, and choral-leaning vocal textures. Actually, this shares a lot of similarities with frontman Lars Horntveth’s recent side project Pooka, Imagine combining a more twangy Mogwai or Tortoise, Ulrich Schnauss, and unabashed jazziness, all with a winter-y, extremely soundtrack-ish feel. Epic!!

This initially took me by surprise, but it quickly grew on me and now I love it.
Brilliant, fresh stuff! One of the highlights of 2005!

Favorites tracks: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7... shit, the whole fucking thing!!

- Captain Dee, June 2005


1. Horns sound out over messy, dramatic post-rockish guitars and crystalline chimes. Picture someone walking through a snowy landscape? (7:50)
**2. Loud crashing chords, very wistful guitar/piano melodies and horns. This would make the perfect ending theme to some film. The title is apt – lots of "stardust-y" electronics and ambience. (6:15)
3. Contemplative horns melody, and quiet beeping electronics. Later, guitar strums. Very low-key, but grows to become a little more involved. (3:58)
*4. Busy underlying guitar, dark melody (as if a storm is on the horizon), slightly eerie background vocals, alluring flute. Dramatic, loud guitars towards end. (5:32)
**5. Dreamy, somewhat ominous piano and horns intro leads into a stunningly beautiful chorale interlude sung by the group. Then piano yields to a maelstrom of guitar and electronics. Wow, this gives me the shivers – gorgeous! (8:46)
**6. Upbeat groove with cool melodious electronic, thick horn/electronic textures, twangy guitar, and some nice jammin’ breaks. Rock! (6:05)
**7. Title it totally apt! ("I Have a Ghost, Now What?") Ominous horns, ghostly electronics and digital voices, fun xylophone. Exotic, dramatic feel. Wonderfully crafted – you can definitely hear that patented Jaga sound. (7:35)